Dental appliance



Aug. 22, 1933. F, A. GOODYKOONTZ DENTAL APPLIANCE Filed Jan. 5, 1932 IN VEN TOR. FRAHKA. GDCJDYKODIYZ'Z A TTORNEYS.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE DENTAL APPLIANCE Frank A. Goodykoontz, Tracy, Calif.

Application January 5, 1932.

1 Claim.

This invention relates to improvements in dental appliances, and has particular reference to means for maintaining dental plates securely positioned Within the mouth.

A further object is to provide means whereby the rear portion of the dental plates will be kept in intimate contact with the gums at all times.

A still further object is to produce a device which will be comfortable to wear.

An additional object is to produce a device which is simple in construction and therefore economical to manufacture.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent during the course of thefollowing description.

In the accompanying drawing forming a part of this specification and in which like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the same,

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of a pair of dental plates equipped with my invention,

Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary detail view showing my invention in cross section, and

Fig. 3 is a cross sectional view taken on the line 33 of Fig. 2.

People who are obliged to wear dental plates are often embarrassed and inconvenienced through accidental displacement of their plates. This may be caused by sudden sneezing, cough-' ing or through a sudden jar.

This is usually caused by the fact that the suction plate fits poorly and does not perform its function of holding the teeth in proper alignment.

Applicant has devised a very simple means whereby the rear portion of the plates are forciblyheld a lower plate.

Attached to the upper plate 5 Serial No. 584,844

is a rod 7 having a ball 8 secured to its extremity. A similar rod 9 is secured to the plate 6 and has a ball 11 secured to its extremity. Extending between these two rods is a telescoping spring container having an upper portion 12 and a lower portion 13. The upper portion 12 has an opening lthrough which the rod 7 passes and in such a manner that the ball 8 rests against the end of a spring. The member 13 also has an opening 1'7 through which the rod 9 passes so that the ball 11 bears against the opposite end of the spring, which spring is indicated by the numeral 19.

The result of this construction is that when the device is assembled, the rear extremity of the plates will be forced apart through the action of the springs 19. It is of course understood that these springs are delicate enough so as to not cause unnecessary pressure upon the gums, merely beingsuflicient to hold the teeth in their proper place.

It is to be understood that the form of my invention herewith shown and described is to be taken as a preferred example of the same and that various changes relative to the mate- ..rial, size, shape andarrangement of parts may be resortedto without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the subjoined claim.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

v In combination with a pair of dental plates,

a rod extending from each of said plates, each of said rods having a ball formed thereon, an expansion device interposed between said rods, said expansion device comprising a pair of telescoping members having openings formed in their extremities through which said rods extend, and a coil spring having an upper and lower extremity interposed between the balls of said rods, and adapted to engage and retain therein a portion of each of the balls. 

